Pre-orders Available For The Exorcist 40th Anniversary Blu-ray

**EDIT NOTE: Amazon have dropped their pre-order price for this Blu-ray to just $19.96. Click here to pre-order it now at this amazing price!!

With the release date of October 8 confirmed for the highly anticipated 40th Anniversary Blu-ray release of The Exorcist, Amazon have made it available for pre-order. You can have it delivered to your door on the morning of its release.

The Blu-ray contains a plethora of special features that might be familiar with some Exorcist fans and fascinating to those looking to add the horror classic to their collection for the first time. Read the press release below for a confirmed list of special features and technical specs.

The 40th Anniversary celebrations will also be available on DVD and UltraViolet download. Specifics of these formats are still to be announced.

“’The Exorcist is both my own favorite film and the greatest film ever made.” — Mark Kermode, Sight and Sound Magazine

THE EXORCIST

CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY OCTOBER 8

Blu-ray’ Includes the Extended Director’s Cut, Theatrical Version

with New Special Features and Premiums

Burbank, Calif. June 20, 2013 – When The Exorcist was first released in 1973, viewers were frightened out of their wits – and literally out of their seats. Now Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) will celebrate the 40thanniversary of Academy Award® winning director William Friedkin’s suspense masterpiece that haunted and intrigued the world, with a new Blu-ray release featuring the Extended Director’s Cut and Theatrical Version with new special features and premiums ($49.99 SRP). Available October 8, just ahead of Halloween, this 40thAnniversary Edition will include two new featurettes: “Beyond Comprehension: William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist” and “Talk of the Devil,” as well as an excerpt from Friedkin’s book The Friedkin Connection: A Memoir.

A true cinema landmark, the theological thriller is one of the top ten box-office performers of all time.* The Exorcist took 10 Academy Award® nominations[1], including Best Picture, and won two Oscars®[2], for Best Adapted Screenplay, as well as winning for Best Sound. Subsequently, the film went on to become a multi-million dollar franchise. Directed by Friedkin (Oscar®-winner for The French Connection – Directing 1971) and written by William Peter Blatty, the film is based on his best-selling novel, which sold nearly 13 million copies domestically and was the #1 book on the New York Times Best Seller List for 57 weeks, 17 of them at #1.

Regarding the Extended Director’s Cut, Friedkin says, “After my initial cut, I took out 12 more minutes before we released it in theatres. Years later, Bill Blatty asked if I’d review some of that rejected footage (which he always felt should have remained) with an eye towards putting it back in a new version. In so doing I believe we strengthened the spiritual aspect of the film.”

Celebrated for his directorial role in this seminal film, Friedkin is still very much in the limelight. His new book, The Friedkin Connection: A Memoir, recently published by HarperCollins, extensively discusses the background and casting of The Exorcist. The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films will honor Friedkin this month with their Lifetime Achievement Award for his continually influential work in genre entertainment at this year’s Saturn Awards. In August, Friedkin will receive the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 70thVenice International Film Festival, where he will present the restored version of Warner Bros.’ Sorcerer. And Friedkin and author Blatty will attend a special 40th Anniversary screening of their film at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. on October 30. The film will also have an exclusive theatrical engagement October 31 through November 7th at the AMC Georgetown.

Synopsis

The Exorcist tells the now-famous story of a girl’s demonic possession, and a gripping fight between good and evil. Linda Blair, in a breakout role, plays Regan, a young girl who starts to exhibit strange, arcane behavior. Her mother (Ellen Burstyn, Oscar-winner for Best Actress Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore) calls upon a priest, Father Karras (Jason Miller) to investigate. But Karras, who has a spiritual crisis of his own, is suddenly confronted with the unimaginable evil of Regan’s possession. Father Lankester Merrin (Max Von Sydow), an archeologist-priest, is called to help, and a horrific battle for her soul begins.

Special Features:

Beyond Comprehension: William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist (NEW) 40 years after his novel was published,The Exorcist author, screenwriter and producer returns to where it all began. First stop is a cabin/guest house in the hills of Encino, California, where Blatty wrote the novel. The author visits the place for the first time in 40 years and shares not only memories of writing the book, but also discusses how it inspired him. We then meet Blatty in two key and iconic locations; Georgetown University where the film was shot, and at the now-famous Exorcist steps. Throughout, Blatty reads from his novel, including an excerpt from a chilling newly published passage.

Talk of the Devil (NEW) – While at Georgetown University, William Peter Blatty heard about a true case of possession from Father Eugene Gallagher. At the time the film came out, the priest talked at length about exorcism, the true story and about Blatty; this footage is now available for the first time in many years. It is as revealing as it is shocking.

Two Commentaries by William Friedkin

Commentary by William Peter Blatty

Introduction by William Friedkin

1998 BBC Documentary “The Fear of God: 25 Years of the Exorcist”

Raising Hell: Filming the Exorcist Set footage produced and photographed by Owen Roizman, camera and makeup tests, and interviews with director William Friedkin, actress Linda Blair, author/screenwriter/producer William Peter Blatty and Owen Roizman.

The Exorcist Locations: Georgetown Then and Now — Featuring a tour of the iconic locations where the film was shot.

Faces of Evil: The Different Versions of The Exorcist — with director William Friedkin and author/screenwriter/producer William Peter Blatty discussing the different versions of the film and featuring outtakes from the film.

Original Ending

Interviews
– The Original Cut
– Stairway to Heaven
– The Final Reckoning

Academy Award(s)® and Oscar(s)® are registered trademarks and services marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Blu-ray Disc’ and Blu-ray’ and the logos are the trademarks of Blu-ray Disc Association.
Warner Home Video Blu-ray Discs’ offer resolution six times higher than standard definition DVDs, as well as extraordinarily vibrant contrast and color and beautifully crisp sound. The format also provides a higher level of interactivity, with instant access to extra features via a seamless menu bar where viewers can enjoy features without leaving or interrupting the film.

With operations in 90 international territories, Warner Home Video, a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc., commands the largest home entertainment distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video’s film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Video and New Line Cinema.

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Creature_of_the_Night

I agree with Mark Kermode above – the Exorcist IS the greatest film ever made – always said that – it is a poetic movie, perfectly cast – a lot of symbolism – great story – great special effects not CGI – great acting – perfectly shot and lit – perfect pacing – it is THE perfect movie.

It is also my favorite film ever – along with JAWS. Just watched The Exorcist AGAIN this weekend – never gets old – love Jason Miller in it.

When I saw this BLU-RAY was coming out – I bought the last BLU-RAY before it goes out of print – the one that came out with the theater release 3 years or so ago.

That one is better than this one it seems. Like the book and William Friedkin note.

And I don’t even have a Blu-ray player – lol – but I wanted it.

To let everyone know – just saw today that the pre-order on AMAZON went down $5 to 39.99.

Info for my fellow Exorcist fans.

The Exorcist is a masterpiece and besides the best movie ever, it is a piece of art.

Lasciviouss

So, is this Blu-ray going to include a DVD copy, like the image above states? The cover on Amazon only says Ultraviolet.

The image is for promotional purposes only. I presume a DVD would need to be purchased separately and likely wouldn’t come bundled with the Blu-ray edition.

Lasciviouss

Captain Howdy, that isn’t very nice!

Creature_of_the_Night

Do you think my mom is pretty?

Captain Howdy?

LOL

Creature_of_the_Night

UPDATE:

That new Blu-Ray is down to 19.96 now on Amazon – LOL

At this rate that the price is going down – by the time it is released –

AMAZON wil pay YOU when you buy it!!!!

😛

Snap the one up from 3 years ago while you can.

Michael Blatty

What is wrong with Mark Kermode? “The Exorcist” is a fine film, but scarcely “the greatest film ever made.” Does he know something the rest of the world doesn’t? Makes you question the value of what he has to say about the film from the get-go.
That said, I like the cover art on the new blu-ray and expect that the new documentary included in the package will be very interesting. And yes, let Amazon pick up the difference on copies ordered through them. They can afford to!
Regards to all you “Exorcist” fans out there!
Mike

Steve

I went to pre order the 40th edition but was still at $34.96

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